Symptom guide · Pregnancy Smart
Eye floaters and flashes during pregnancy
By trimester
Weeks 1–13
1st trimester
New floaters or flashes this early are usually unrelated to pregnancy itself, since the vitreous changes behind ordinary floaters are not linked to hormone shifts. Preeclampsia, the other reason floaters and flashes get extra attention in pregnancy, is uncommon before 20 weeks, so a sudden new shower of floaters or flashes is still worth a same-day eye check.
Weeks 14–27
2nd trimester
This is when a real, if still low, preeclampsia risk starts factoring into any new visual symptom, alongside the ordinary vitreous-related causes of floaters that can happen at any age. Mention new floaters or flashes to your prenatal provider at this stage, not only an eye doctor, so blood pressure and urine protein get checked too.
Weeks 28–birth
3rd trimester
Both threads matter most now: ordinary vitreous floaters remain common and usually harmless, while preeclampsia risk is highest in the third trimester and a new visual disturbance is one of the symptoms clinicians watch for. A sudden shower of floaters, new flashes, or a shadow over part of your vision is a same-day call regardless of which cause turns out to be true.
What does the evidence show for eye floaters and flashes?
- A sudden increase in new floaters, flashes of light in one or both eyes, and a dark shadow or curtain over part of the field of vision are the three warning signs of retinal detachment, a medical emergency that calls for an eye doctor or the emergency room right away. 1
- Floaters and flashes most often come from the vitreous, the eye's gel-like filling, pulling away from the retina in a common and usually harmless event called vitreous detachment; the only way to know whether a given case has also caused a more serious problem like a retinal tear is a dilated eye exam, not the symptoms themselves. 2
- Changes in vision, including blurry vision, seeing spots, or other changes in eyesight, are listed among the warning signs of preeclampsia, a pregnancy-specific high blood pressure condition. 3
- Blurred vision is named as a symptom of preeclampsia, and vision problems, including temporary vision loss, are named as a symptom of eclampsia, the seizure-causing progression of the same condition. 4
- Pregnancy is well documented to bring on eye and vision changes generally, including shifts in corneal curvature, corneal thickness, and tear film, which is one reason a new eye symptom during pregnancy is worth mentioning to a provider even when the specific complaint is not itself a documented pregnancy-hormone effect. 5
When should I call my provider about eye floaters and flashes?
Seek an eye doctor or emergency department right away for a sudden increase in floaters, new flashes, a dark curtain or shadow, or vision loss. These can signal a retinal tear or detachment. Also contact your maternity team urgently about new visual changes, especially with a persistent headache, pain under the ribs, or sudden face or hand swelling. Do not wait for a routine eye appointment. Trust your read on your own body. If something feels off beyond the list above, please consult your healthcare provider rather than waiting it out.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between eye floaters and eye flashes?
Floaters are small dark specks, threads, or squiggly shapes that drift across your field of vision, usually most visible against a plain light background like a bright sky or a white wall. Flashes are brief streaks or sparks of light, often in side vision, that happen when the vitreous tugs on the retina. The two frequently show up together because both trace back to changes in the eye's gel-like vitreous.
Does pregnancy itself cause new eye floaters?
Not in any documented way. Pregnancy is linked to several eye changes, including shifts in corneal thickness, curvature, and tear film, but floaters come from the vitreous gel rather than the cornea, and no pregnancy-hormone mechanism for new floaters is established in the research. A new floater during pregnancy has the same likely causes as one appearing at any other time.
What visual symptoms point toward preeclampsia rather than an eye-only problem?
Preeclampsia's visual symptoms include blurred vision and seeing spots, and its more severe form, eclampsia, can bring temporary vision loss. These symptoms typically appear alongside a persistent headache, new swelling in the face or hands, or pain under the ribs, and they matter most in the second half of pregnancy when preeclampsia risk is highest.
When are eye floaters and flashes a medical emergency?
A sudden shower of new floaters, new flashes of light in one or both eyes, or a dark shadow or curtain across part of your vision are the recognized warning signs of retinal detachment. Any of these calls for an eye doctor or emergency room the right away, since delayed care raises the risk of permanent vision loss.
What is a vitreous detachment, and is it the same as a retinal detachment?
A vitreous detachment happens when the gel-like vitreous pulls away from the back of the eye, which is common, often related to aging, and usually harmless on its own. A retinal detachment is a more serious tissue separation that threatens vision. The two can cause identical-feeling symptoms, so a dilated eye exam, not the symptoms themselves, is what tells them apart.
Should I call my OB or midwife, or go straight to an eye doctor, for new floaters?
Either call works as a starting point, since both can route you appropriately, but do not wait on a routine appointment. If you also have a headache, swelling, or a high blood pressure reading, call your OB or midwife first so preeclampsia can be checked alongside the eye symptom. For an isolated new floater shower or flashes with no other symptoms, an eye doctor or emergency room is the direct route.
What does a shadow or curtain across part of the vision mean?
A dark shadow or curtain effect, especially one that spreads or moves like a veil across your field of view, is one of the three classic retinal detachment warning signs, alongside a sudden increase in floaters and new flashes of light. It reflects the retina physically pulling away from the back of the eye and needs immediate evaluation.
Can an eye exam tell the difference between a harmless floater and a serious problem?
Yes. A dilated eye exam is the reliable way to distinguish routine vitreous floaters from a retinal tear or detachment, since the two can feel identical to the person experiencing them. Eye care specialists describe this exam as the only way to know for certain, which is why new or changing floaters deserve a professional look rather than a guess based on symptoms alone.
Related in the library
References
NEI · https://www.nei.nih.gov/eye-health-information/eye-conditions-and-diseases/retinal-detachment
NEI · https://www.nei.nih.gov/eye-health-information/eye-conditions-and-diseases/vitreous-detachment
High Blood Pressure During Pregnancy
CDC · https://www.cdc.gov/high-blood-pressure/about/high-blood-pressure-during-pregnancy.html
What are the symptoms of preeclampsia, eclampsia, & HELLP syndrome?
NICHD · https://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/preeclampsia/conditioninfo/Pages/symptoms.aspx
NIH · https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5082244/
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